CHICAGO - The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) and the Chicago Park District, today announced that the City's 30th annual holiday tree recycling program will run from Saturday, January 5 through Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 25 locations citywide.

"Recycling your holiday tree gives it new life," said DSS Commissioner John F. Tully. “We encourage residents to recycle live trees to help keep them out of alleys and divert valuable organic material from landfills.”

Live holiday trees can be dropped off inside tree corrals set up at any one of the 25 designated Chicago Park District locations. The holiday tree recycling program is not able to accept wreaths or garlands. Ornaments, lights and tinsels must be removed before the tree is dropped off and trees should be removed from any bags when placed in the tree recycling corrals.

Trees recycled through the program are turned into mulch, wood chips for use at Chicago Park Districts and materials for use by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

“We are proud to partner again with the Department of Streets and Sanitation and provide Chicagoans the opportunity to foster a healthy environment by recycling their holiday trees at one of the citywide sites,” said Michael Kelly, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO. “Together, the Park District and DSS encourage the public to take advantage of one the 25 tree recycling sites and become active stewards of our environment.”

Since the program’s inception in 1990, more than 268,000 trees have been mulched including more than 18,000 last year. Free mulch will be available for residents to pick-up beginning on January 7, at six designated locations.